Syracuse Football Stock Report: Biggest Winners and Losers After Clemson Loss

The air on campus was electric before kickoff. With the ACC Huddle live under an overcast Central New York sky and the Orange faithful packing out the JMA Wireless Dome for Homecoming, everything was dialed in for a blockbuster ACC showdown.

When the dust settled, the scoreboard told a brutal, familiar story.

It was the Orange defense pitching an absolute gem, only to watch the offense hand the game over. A third-quarter strip-sack returned for the Tigers' lone touchdown, a gut-wrenching interception in the end zone and a 32-yard field goal off the right upright that completely undid a heroic defensive effort.

By the time the final clock hit zero at 18-13, the story wasn't just another tough loss. Calling these "self-inflicted wounds" missed the point — these are the exact same mistakes that have been bleeding out on this team all season long.

Here is how the stock shakes out following a game that left Orange Nation wondering what could have been.

Stock Down: Steve Angeli, QB

After flashing real momentum and precision in previous weeks, Angeli completely unraveled under Clemson's relentless pressure. He finished the afternoon completing 18 of 40 passes for 263 yards and a late touchdown.

The two catastrophic turnovers completely flipped the script. His third-quarter fumble gifted Clemson its only touchdown of the afternoon via Jahiem Lawson's scoop-and-score. Then, a costly fourth-quarter interception in the end zone wiped out a guaranteed scoring drive. When fighting for a marquee win, there is no room for QB1 to cough up six swing points.

Stock Down: Tripp Woody, K

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Woody opened the afternoon by calmly drilling a 26-yarder on Syracuse's first drive to get the Orange on the board.

But when a chance came to tie the game in the second quarter, his 32-yard chip shot clanged painfully off the right upright for a killer "doink." Though he bounced back later in the quarter to hit a longer 46-yarder, missing a high-percentage look like that leaves vital points on the turf when the margin for error is razor-thin.

Stock Up: Ahmad Miller, RB

Looking for someone to put the offense on their back and grind out tough yards? Look no further than Ahmad Miller. He stamped his authority once again, toting the rock 20 times for 101 yards.

It marks the third 100-plus yard performance over the last four weeks, cementing him as the undisputed bell-cow of this backfield. Even without finding the end zone, his bruising, downfield force kept the chains moving and the defense honest.

Stock Up: Syracuse Defense

Let's get one thing straight: this defense didn't just keep Syracuse in the game; they dragged them there. Yes, a couple of explosive plays stung, but once they settled in, they played relentless, high-caliber football.

The unit completely shut Clemson out of the end zone, holding the Tigers to a dismal 4-of-16 mark on third down inside a deafening Dome. Forcing four field goals and yielding zero touchdowns is more than enough to win on most Saturdays — this unit earned every bit of its praise.

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